The 10 Rules Every New MMORPG Needs to Follow

[Vllad]

The technology exist for massive 200 vs. 200 battles. The problem is the "art rendering" to make your product pretty over rides practicality in every product that has ever been released with exception of the two. Planetside and Shattered Galaxies. It is no mistake that I think those are the two most successful PVP games.

Your first clue should be stop trying to make every individual unique. Stop trying to draw every ones unique tatoo when 400 people enter an area. Stop trying to make every tree more then 16000 pixels.

It isn't rocket science to develope scenario's that benefit both the Zerg and the individual. That is just a matter of putting together a well thought out objective plan. Shattered Galaxies and Planetside both layed out solid layered plans that you can steal from and add on to.


Vllad

[Vanraw]

Your first clue should be stop trying to make every individual unique. Stop trying to draw every ones unique tatoo when 400 people enter an area. Stop trying to make every tree more then 16000 pixels.
Vllad

You just lost all the bluebies that get off on waveing their dick in their hand.

[Slamz]

Planetside, for its day, was quite a pretty game, I thought.

But they definitely did a good job seizing on the idea that "you don't need to make everyone look unique". As much as I appreciate a good Champions character design system, it really has no place in a PvP game. Planetside had it right -- you could look at someone and tell what team they were on, what weapon they were using and what armor type they had. The game didn't have to load in 1500 different textures for various pieces of individual armor and facial hair setups. You don't need that stuff.

We killed probably 15+ people last night and I couldn't tell you what any of them were wearing.

[Dustie]

We killed probably 15+ people last night and I couldn't tell you what any of them were wearing.

"Oh my, its such a pity to blood-stain your Flowing Royal Purple Robe of Reckoning. I almost decided not to thrust my sword into your mid section as I watched your robe flowing beautifully in the wind."

[Hoofhurr]

Bah I love waving my dick in my hand. I kind of like unique textures but understand that technology is not quite there yet for a pvp game.

[Fretty]

Why can't forts/castles/what-have-you have multiple entrance points?
No I don't mean small back doors for stealth types, I mean full blown gates?
Do I care if it fits the most common architectural design from our history? No. I care if it lets me play a game and have fun.

If WAR made those one gated forts have 3 gates then not everyone would be huddled around one puny little entrance in an AoE caster's wet dream. This would split both the attacking and defending groups considerably.

Now, there's the issue of the fort commander or whatever. Why not make THREE objectives within the fort that must be taken in order for a successful capture? But then the zerg would go from 1 to 2 to 3, right? Wait, there's even more! What if those THREE objectives had to be taken AND HELD within a certain time limit? Oh noes!! Now the intruders MUST seperate raid groups into three forces in order to successfully complete the fortress capture!!

I just came up with it on the spot, but I like this idea.

[Slamz]

Planetside!

Bases in that game consisted of an external wall and an internal structure.

The wall had 2 big gates and a small side door. It was also open to the air so if you had the ability to get over the wall, you could do that.

The internal structure typically had at least, erm, let's see...

Tech plant:
Front door
Garage door
Two roof doors
Back door

Bio lab:
Front door
Roof door to the main
Roof door to the generator
Back door

Dropship Facility:
Front door
Basically 2 roof doors
Back door

Not counting all the doors to get up onto the walls, which lead to catwalks to reach the roof doors on these bases.


WAR's fortress layout was woefully simplistic by comparison. Ditto for Aion. In fact I think Aion's is even worse because there's literally nothing stopping you from sending the entire horde straight to the general. As far as I can tell there's no reason to even go through the main door. I think everyone just goes in the back or something.

[Hoofhurr]

I really wish that MMOGs had more urban style combat. Even the city fighting in WAR didn't give me all the nooks and crannies and narrow pathways that I crave. I'm still of a mind that nothing has come close to the dungeon combat that EQ offered. A mix of NPCs and PvP and lots of escape routes if you memorized the NPC patrols and spawns. Good stuff. MMOGs simply have too much open space and the combat in that space is predictable at best.

[Fretty]

Planetside!

True enough. I totally forgot how it all worked out in Planetside, it's been so long...